Chronicles of Ridleigh
by Karlianne Burick
Summary: Ridleigh is shuffled from foster home to foster home with the latest one a drunken fool that tried to rape e manages to escape by knocking him unconscious and escaping to the nearby e wolf leader observes her and decides to let her stay.When the drunken fool comes looking for her she has the wolf kill e is given the wolf gift and life is forever changed.


The Chronicles of Ridleigh

Karlianne Burick and Howard Leasher

The bell was about to ring. Ridleigh dreaded this part of the day; the part of the day where her hell would begin. Within the last month Ridleigh had lost all her friends. Now she was alone, and those she'd trusted most had become her tormenters. Just like it was her whole life. She'd learned the hard way not to trust anyone. Ever.

Three, two, one. _Rrrrrrinnnnnng_. The students rushed out of the rooms and into the halls. Lockers slammed shut and students filed out of the building and into crowded buses or personal cars. As usual Ridleigh was the last student out.

She still couldn't avoid the torment. "Well, well, well, look who decided to finally come out of the building."

Ridleigh hated conflict so she averted her eyes and stared at the ground. Her jet black long hair, light purple eyes, long black nails, and glasses made her stand out. So did her short, red and black skirt and black, low-cut, long-sleeved shirts.

"Where's goth-girl going? Maybe the black hole she came from!" Taunting laughter followed Ridleigh as she slowly walked back home. Home to more torture.

Someone watched from the shadows. His dark brown eyes looked Ridleigh up and down. "She'll do nicely, nicely indeed." The cloaked figure made a note of the girl. "In a few years' time my dear, you'll get the offer of a lifetime." His soft, but dark laugh echoed in the alley.

Ridleigh noticed a rapid movement in the shadows to her left. She heard what sounded like someone laughing. "What? Embarrassing me at school wasn't enough for you? Now you must follow me home? This is low, even for you. What's worse, you're hiding in the shadows like a coward! I'm not afraid of any of you or your taunts. In fact, I don't care what you say about me or to me. Whatever you have to say, come say it to my face!"

"Quite a bold challenge. I'm impressed. My dear, you assume far too much and know far too little. I mean you no harm—" _yet_ he added to himself. Then, in the blink of an eye, he was gone—as if the shadows had swallowed him up.

"Who are you and what do you want?" demanded Ridleigh. When no one answered, she shrugged it off as her imagining things to mirror her dread.

At last Ridleigh had come to her home doorstep. She reached for the knob, but before she could open the door, an angry, red-faced, blood-shot eyed man wrenched it open, yanking her inside by her hair. The door slammed, and to Ridleigh's ears the sound was like thunder. The man stared at her; he'd reeked of alcohol.

"Why are you home so late?! There's food to be made and a house to be cleaned!" He slapped Ridleigh so hard on her face that she saw stars.

She placed her hand on her cheek where she'd been hit. Fighting back tears she spat, "I decided to walk home today." She looked him defiantly in the eyes, daring him to reply. She was stronger than that; she would not cry and show him weakness.

"Go make me some food. NOW!" He stumbled back to the living room to sit in his chair, probably fall asleep, and wait for his meal. A meal Ridleigh would painstakingly prepare, only for him to throw it at her or the wall because it is not what he wants. He stumbled and almost ran into the wall, tripping over various items scattered on the floor—beer cans, wine bottles, apple cores, and Chinese take-out boxes—on the way to his chair. This earned him a glare from Ridleigh.

She was half-tempted to add poison to his food just so she wouldn't have to deal with the abuse anymore. Only half-tempted because she knew there'd be an investigation. And even though she was a minor, she'd still be prosecuted, possibly tried as an adult. That option was out. Maybe she could run away. Since nobody seemed to notice the classic signs of abuse, maybe they wouldn't notice her disappearance. On the other hand, if they did notice, she'd be moved to another foster care home. All her life she'd been shuffled from home to home. Nobody wanted her since she was so unique and that she was a teenager. She'd suffer through it…for now, at least.

Ridleigh prepared a plate of food. She placed it on a tray with a glass of water and some fruit. She walked to the chair to serve his food, only to find him—as usual—asleep, snoring rather loudly. She rolled her eyes. _Of course he's asleep. And he'll probably throw the tray right back at me. Great, I really don't look forward to cleaning_ that _up. Guess I'd better wake him._

"Food is ready, so wake up." She nudged his shoulder.

"Huh? What? Food? Well, it's about time!" He snatched the tray of food from Ridleigh.

As he ate, Ridleigh stood her ground, waiting for him to throw the tray back at her. She glared at him the entire time he ate. She crossed her arms, waiting for the verbal abuse.

It didn't come. Instead, he put the tray down and slowly rose from his chair, his eyes still bloodshot, still staggering as he walked. It was a wonder how he even ate at all!

He headed for her, why ever for, Ridleigh didn't know. Her instincts shouted at her to get away, but she refused to show weakness by running away. He yanked her hair and pulled her close, too close. He reached around to her skirt to undo it.

Ridleigh realized what he was trying to do. _I don't think so!_ Quickly as her reflexes would allow, she head-butted him. The back of her head connected with his nose. Then in quick succession she elbowed him in the stomach, and kicked him in his groin. He fell backwards, out of breath, urinating on himself. Ridleigh laughed and ran out the door, never looking back.

She ran and ran until she nearly collapsed in the woods. She wasn't at all afraid of being alone. In fact, now that she was alone, she felt free. She followed nobody's rules but her own. Now all she had to do was make sure she was never found and placed back into that awful foster care system where she'd undoubtedly be bounced from home to home because nobody wanted her.

Another problem Ridleigh was presented with was money. She'd need it to buy food and provisions. With the right provisions she could survive; she'd have to plan carefully.

A gruff voice startled her, "Rather bold of you to enter my woods, _human_ ," the last word a growl. A large, grey wolf stared at her with piercing golden-yellow eyes. The creature was easily the size of a small pony. It was the largest wolf she'd ever seen.

Still, Ridleigh showed no fear to the creature. She looked right at the wolf, but neither challengingly nor threateningly. "I didn't know these woods belonged to you. I was running away from a dangerous situation. I needed to be my own master. I meant no offense to you by trespassing."

"Of course you didn't know these woods belong to me. You humans know nothing. I am a dire wolf, the last of my kind. You are selfish and arrogant and take what does not belong to you. You destroy without thinking of the consequences. You kill mercilessly for fashion, greed, and sport. Why shouldn't I just kill you now? After all, your kind wiped mine out ages ago."

Still unfazed Ridleigh spoke with confidence. "Sir wolf, not all of us are the same, just as not all wolves are the same. You are accused of killing farm animals just because you can. The truth is, you only kill because you are hungry. We humans have destroyed your hunting grounds, leaving your lands deprived of nourishment. I agree that we are avaricious, for, while we destroy natural habitats so we can grow our food or build stores to buy it from and sustain ourselves, we fail to realize the consequences to those animals that we pillage from. What other choice do you have but to steal it when you can from wherever you can? You do what you must to survive. There is nothing preventing you from killing me right now. I am a trespasser on your lands. These woods abide by your rules, and upon entering them I am subject to them. Humans shoot trespassers on their lands, so why should you not kill me? That's one less of us for you to deal with. Besides, nobody will miss me. Nobody will even notice I'm gone. Kill me if you wish."

The wolf paused. He didn't have the murderous look on his face. Instead it had softened as if he'd sympathized with Ridleigh. His expression quickly changed to skepticism. "Your words impress me, young human. But how do I know you are not saying what I wish to hear so I will let you live?"

"That's just it; you don't. You just have to trust me, though I don't blame you for not trusting any human, even myself."

"Fair enough. Against my better judgement I'll trust you. But if you do anything to dishonor that trust, I'll kill you without second thought. My only rule is you are forbidden to kill any creature here or cut trees down. You may use fallen or dead branches and leaves for fire. You may also eat fruit and vegetables that grow here. Other than that, you are free to do as you please."

"If I can't hunt, then how do I eat?"

"A clever girl like you will figure it out." He turned away from her and bounded into the woods.

He'd called her clever. Was this a test the wolf had devised? If she failed, was he going to kill her and devour her flesh? And yet, he hadn't when he'd had the chance. And he'd called her a girl instead of a human, which meant he'd separated her from the rest of humanity as different. What were his motives?

Shaking these thoughts aside, Ridleigh decided to build a fire. She collected dead leaves and branches for kindling. She struck two stones together to light them. She then proceeded to make a bed of leaves. She fashioned plates out of bark. For food, she'd explored the area around her and gathered some edible plants and berries—her past with girl scouts had taught her the difference between poisonous and edible plants and berries. When she'd gathered enough for herself, she returned to her campsite. She'd used branches for skewers for the nuts, fruits, and berries.

A chuckle from behind her startled Ridleigh to awareness. "Hmm. You are indeed quite the intelligent one. Color me impressed." The wolf sat next to Ridleigh, folding his tail across his enormous paws, like a domestic dog. He stared at the flames, as if transfixed by them. "I didn't always hate humans, you know."

"What changed your opinion?"

"These woods weren't originally mine. They are my inheritance. My grandfather ruled these woods until he was old and greying. He trained my father and passed the responsibility to him. When Grandfather passed from this world we sang our song to Mother Moon. His body was then taken by Mother Moon so he could forever run though the skies with her.

"Shortly after, the humans came. They said wolves were a nuisance and ordered us to be moved or killed. Instead of moving us, most us were killed by loud things that spat out fire and projectiles that made us bleed upon impact."

Ridleigh knew he meant guns. She now understood his hatred. She listened to the wolf's story without interruption as he continued.

"Father attacked some that didn't carry the weapons. He'd managed to bravely fight off three of them and badly injure them before he'd been surrounded. He growled, hackles raised, teeth bared, and paws swiping.

'This one's pelt will make a fine coat and fetch a pretty penny. Then his head I'll mount as a trophy!' One of them had laughed.

'Father!' I yelled desperately to try to get to him. He glared at me, silently signaling to me _no son, you must stay hidden_. He fought bravely until they killed him with the weapons. I couldn't even say good-bye to him. I couldn't do anything to save him." The wolf began to whimper, and a tear fell down his cheek. He lay down, covering his face with his gigantic paws. Ridleigh wanted to wrap her arms around the wolf to comfort him and tell him it was okay, but it wasn't. Because of humans, his father was dead. Ridleigh herself even shed a tear.

"His spirit was able to reach Mother Moon, but his body did not. They dragged it away along with my mother—who was thankfully alive, but tightly restrained—and my sister. They probably became slaves, tamed and forced to obey.

"And so, my family is gone, but my duty to protect these woods is not. When I first saw you, I admit, I didn't like you. But something kept me from killing you. Some buried part of my instincts told me I could trust you. I did forget to mention that you may fish in the stream. All I ask is that you honor the fish's spirit by burying its remains and thanking Mother Moon for her gift. By the way, my name is Silverpaw. Perhaps you'll tell me more about yourself on the morrow; it's getting rather late and you should rest. Fear not, I'll be ever vigilant; nothing shall harm you while you sleep and dwell here."

Ridleigh resisted the urge to pet Silverpaw's silky head as he turned towards her. "Goodnight, Silverpaw."

"Sleep well, young human."

"My name is Ridleigh."

 _Summer is a time of happiness and warm sun; for swimming, vacationing, and gulping down lemonade. It's also fun when it rains because you get to run and splash in puddles._

 _A little girl plays in the sand. She uses her bright green bucket and blue shovel to create sand castles. The waves crash calmly to the shore and wash some of it away. She giggles as the water and sand tickle her._

 _Suddenly the sky goes black and the ocean more and more violent. The waves crash closer and closer, threatening to carry the little girl away in its strong current. She panics, looking for her parents. Where are they? Where's anyone for that matter? The beach is empty and desolate with the water threatening to devour everything in its path. The little girl tries to run, but the sand beneath her feet has turned to concrete. She is immobilized, unable to escape the water's wrath. It swallows both her and the beach up. She struggles against the sand holding her. She can't hold her breath much longer…_

"Be still, little Ridleigh. Easy now, you're okay. Nothing can harm you in my woods."

Ridleigh sat bolt upright, drenched in sweat. She breathed rapid, shallow breaths, looking frantically around, but nobody was there. Nobody, except Silverpaw. He'd gently placed his paw on her lap. She put her hand on top of Silverpaw's paw. "I'm fine, Silverpaw. I just had a nightmare, that's all."

"Too real a nightmare, judging by your whimpering, screaming, and restlessness. When I heard you scream I had to make sure you were okay. Then I saw you thrashing about in your sleep. I gently nudged you awake with my nose."

"Yes, well, that's all it was. A nightmare. Fiction. In my mind. Not real—"

"And yet it seems to really have shaken you up."

"I can tell you about it. It has a lot to do with my past.

"When I was a little girl, much too young to have memories, my parents were tragically killed. I don't remember much about either of them. I had no relatives to claim me, so I was placed in foster care. For a while I was not wanted because of my eerie purple eyes and jet black hair. Bad omens, the potential parents claimed. I watched as many of the children in the orphanage got adopted. I learned not to make friends with, or get too attached to, any of them because I knew they'd get adopted and I'd never see them again.

"My first family had two boys. They longed for a little girl, so they came to the nearest orphanage, which was the very one I lived in. After taking one look at me, the couple decided to adopt me. I was overjoyed that I'd finally been wanted.

"Then a few days after they'd brought me home weird things began to happen. The boys had been thrown from their beds. Boxes fell from shelves. Voices started whispering in the dark. It seemed almost…supernatural.

"I heard them talking one night when they thought I was asleep.

'Jesse and Justin have been telling me they've been hearing voices when there's clearly nobody there. Not only that, but they've had nightmares every night since Ridleigh came to live with us.'

'Ridleigh is not the cause. Sometimes bringing in a new child can have traumatizing effects on the other children.'

'We'll give it a few more weeks. If it doesn't stop, I'll do what's best for my children. She'll have to go back to the orphanage where we got her.'

"When it continued to occur I was brought back. I was shuffled from home to home because of the same thing. The most recent one that I liberated myself from…let's just say he was dealt with and leave it at that."

"So much trauma for one so young. Sleep now, and I'll protect you from harm."

As it happened to be, Silverpaw had developed an attachment to Ridleigh. She was like his cub that he'd never had, only in human form. He'd made a silent vow to himself to protect her at all costs and love her as his own. He'd even considered making her his heir. It was unorthodox and untraditional, but so was adopting her as his own, and he trusted and loved her that much. He nuzzled her cheek and licked lightly.

A snap of a twig startled Ridleigh awake. Silverpaw was curled against her like a warm fur blanket. She gently pushed her guardian wolf aside, careful not to wake him. She followed the source of the noise.

Too late she turned to try to escape. Her foster father had found her! He grabbed her hair and dragged her along by it. He reeked of urine, vomit, and alcohol. His face was bruised where she'd hit him. "You didn't come home last night, you little bitch. From now on, I'll make sure you can't escape!"

Something wasn't right. Something reeked, a stranger in his woods! And he smelled blood, Ridleigh's blood. _Oh no you don't. Not in my woods! That's my pup you're hurting!_ He ran faster than he'd ever run before towards Ridleigh's scent. He growled as soon as he saw Ridleigh being forced by the hair to move. Some of it had been ripped from her scalp and she was bleeding where the hair had been.

The stranger froze, staring at Silverpaw. He wouldn't back down with his pup in danger. He growled, barked, and snipped, careful to miss Ridleigh.

"Nice doggy, good doggy. Settle down now. I'm just taking back what is mine." The fool was stupid enough to put his hand within reach of Silverpaw's jaws.

Quick as lightning Silverpaw clamped down on the man's wrist. He crunched through muscle, all the way to bone, and with a jerk of his head he'd snapped the wrist and arm bones. He continued to rip and tear at the man's arm until he'd both dislocated it and broken it. When the man had lashed out with his leg, Silverpaw nimbly avoided it and bit down on that as well. He clamped down and broke the leg then slashed the femoral artery. He'd bleed out within seconds. Ridleigh watched Silverpaw's savage brutality towards her formal guardian without fear. After all he was just protecting her by making sure this man could never hurt her again.

Ridleigh held up her hand, signaling Silverpaw to stop. "Before he dies I want to see the look on his face when I won't save him. I want him to realize that the very girl he'd taken in and abused is in control of his fate, though judging from the ragged breathing, he only has seconds left. He'll bleed out before he even has time to realize what has happened."

He looked at her, and for the first time since she'd been living with him, he looked vulnerable and frail. Ridleigh took no pity on him. All she felt towards him was bitter hatred. The cruelty towards him was ironic and well-deserved. He wheezed out his final words, "You control…that beast?"

"No, he is his own master. And I'm glad he killed you. It seems only fair since you used and abused me. I was a paycheck to you; free money. Then you tried to rape me. I could cauterize your leg, but I choose not to. Besides, you've already lost too much blood. You require a transfusion. In a matter of seconds, you'll be dead before a hospital or ambulance can save you. And you know what else? I don't care that you're dying. I won't care when you're dead. In fact, I'll celebrate your death." Ridleigh took great pleasure in his pain and suffering. She laughed when his blank eyes stared at nothing and the life left them. They left the body to rot and be consumed by carrion animals.

"A little cruel, don't you think?" asked a concerned Silverpaw.

"Considering how cruel and violent he was towards me, no."

"You could have saved him, you know."

"I know, but he would have come back for me. I've no desire to be found."

The rest of the walk back to Ridleigh's camp was made in silence. Her mood was opposite of Silverpaw. She was lost in thought while he was just happy Ridleigh was safe. He stopped, noticing her lagging behind. "What is it that has you so lost in thought and distracted? And don't say nothing because something is obviously bothering you." If he could have, he would have folded his front legs across his chest, a human gesture for "well?"

"It's just…if he found me that easily, what's to stop others from finding me too? And what's to stop them from killing or trapping you for trying to protect me? We got lucky he was acting alone. More may come to find me, but with a larger group. And they may look for him too, with dogs to search by scent. I cannot put you or your woods in that kind of danger."

"It is a risk I am willing to take to protect my young one."

"Your young one?" Ridleigh was confused. "You mean me? But I'm not…I mean I wouldn't mind…Besides, you've been more like a true parent to me than any foster parents ever were. I mean, you only just met me and already I'm like a daughter to you." It baffled Ridleigh and left her speechless that Silverpaw would consider her like that. She was of the very species that had stripped him of what he cared most for. Because of humans and their greed, he'd never have a family of his own. He had every right to hate her…and yet, he didn't. "But why? Why trust someone so completely after only just meeting them? For all you know, I could be a hunter trying to earn your trust only to kill you when your back is turned."

"And are you?"

"Well, no, but—"

"But you don't understand why. Why would I care about the very creature whose species took my family from me? Why care about your fate? That's one less of you to worry about."

He paused to think how he should explain this to her. "An animal has a sixth sense. As a wolf, I can sense your intent. I know you before I even speak to you. I know what you intend to do. I can see through masks and disguises. Yours, for example, was one of fear and anxiety. I knew you meant me no harm. I was testing your courage. Anyone that can face a wolf my size and not be afraid is courageous indeed. You are but a scared, lonely girl that only wants to be loved instead of rejected. And I may be a wolf, but why does that matter? Cats get raised by dogs. Bats can be raised by birds. It may seem unnatural, but if the creature survives and knows who they are, it should not matter. I will care for you as my own and will never, ever abandon you. You are my pup and wolves do not abandon their pups." He felt proud to be her father, and speaking the oath out loud made him feel protective tenfold. Mother Moon help whoever decided to attack his daughter.

Ridleigh didn't resist her urge this time. She wrapped her arms around Silverpaw's neck and buried her face in his silky fur. He put his paw on her back, comforting her as she cried. He licked her cheek and nuzzled her with his nose. "There now, how does that feel? I bet those emotions were kept caged for quite some time now."

"Do you think me feeble for crying like that?"

"No, never. Crying shows that you have real emotions. It is most certainly not a sign of weakness."

"Come now, Ridleigh. It's time I started training you for your responsibilities as protector of these woods."

"Of course, Father Silverpaw."

Silverpaw knew she'd not stay forever, but he figured he may as well train her, should she ever decide to return. He loved it when she started calling him Father Silverpaw, making him feel even more that she was truly his.

"Each spring, the does give birth to their young. It is our job to keep a census of them all, as well as protect them from hunters and trappers. In the fall, we help the bears collect food as well as for the others that hibernate. Winter is when we are most vulnerable. The fish migrate to warmer waters and the trees and bushes no longer produce fruit. Those that do not hibernate are left without food. But we are never without food, because we harvest it and store it in the community area. As protectors, it is our job to ration out the food during the winter to ensure its endurance.

"Now, sometimes an unwelcomed guest will enter the woods. Usually it is a hunter looking for a trophy. It is our job to protect the prey animals from harm. We have a system where as soon as an intruder is spotted by squirrel sentries, our network relays the information to us. We must then hide the prey animals by quickly and quietly herding them to the secret cave. There they must remain until the danger has passed.

"Occasionally there is a young animal that gets impatient or spooked. They cause a ruckus and give their location away. From there, the hunter can have a field day killing everything in sight. The animals would be trapped and easy to kill. They can also panic and get themselves killed. It is paramount that we keep the young ones calm for that very reason."

"Silverpaw, there are several humans, not hunters by the looks of them, but they do have dogs. Shall we proceed to moving the animals to safety?"

"It is as I feared, Father Silverpaw. They've come looking for me, and they won't stop until they've found me. I should go, to protect everyone."

"You stay here, my dear little Ridleigh. I'll think of something, I'm sure." He had no idea what he was going to do, but he made a vow to Ridleigh that he fully intended to keep, even if it meant his own life. He sat contemplating how to hide Ridleigh. He could herd her with the others up to the cave, but he could neither disguise nor hide her scent. What could he do?

Suddenly Mother Moon shone a lone beam of light on Ridleigh. It was the middle of the day, but those with good enough eyesight could see it. The squirrel sentry and Silverpaw both saw it. Recognizing it as Mother Moon, Silverpaw bowed. Ridleigh couldn't see the light surrounding her. "Why did you bow, Father Silverpaw?"

"Listen, and you'll find out," was all he said.

She strained with her ears but heard nothing. "I don't hear—"

"Not with your ears, my little one, but with your mind."

Ridleigh shut out every noise around her and concentrated with her mind. She could hear a faint whisper becoming clearer and clearer. _You are chosen, child. Do not fear, I've solved your problem, but you must accept it. You know my plan; do you accept it?_

"Yes, I accept."

 _Good. The gift will last as long as you are tied to these woods. If you leave willingly or are forced to leave, the gift shall protect you and help you to return. If you ever forsake these woods or misuse the gifts, I'm afraid you'll lose them._

"I understand, Mother Moon, and I gladly accept your gift."

 _Very well, my child. Cherish your gifts and use them to protect these woods as well as those around you._ The light around Ridleigh swirled and shone brighter. None of the animals could see what was happening. The light had vanished as suddenly as it appeared. The animals all gasped, except Silverpaw.

A black wolf, slightly smaller in size than Silverpaw, with Ridleigh's purple eyes stood before them. Her fur was silky black, all except around her eye, where a silvery crescent moon appeared. She returned Silverpaw's bow.

The barking dogs approached. They were only through the bushes beside them now. The animals that were present began to panic, but Ridleigh quickly settled them. "Be still, young ones. They will not find Ridleigh that they look for. For, you see, they are looking for a human scent, and as a wolf I no longer bear that. They will, however, find that fool of a man's body and assume the worst for me."

The dogs saw wolf Ridleigh and Silverpaw before their humans did. "Easy, boy, those are wolves. Back slowly away, and don't make any sudden moves." Ridleigh looked right at the human with the dog. Though she was a wolf, her eyes betrayed a slight humanness to them. The human had to take another look, as if he didn't believe what he was seeing. He brushed it off as a trick of the light and called his dog away. The dog resisted his handler's instructions until Ridleigh growled at him.

Ridleigh decided to drive the humans out of her woods. She howled, long, loud, and warning. When Silverpaw joined his voice with Ridleigh's it spooked the dogs. They began to panic and pull their handlers out of the woods.

"There aren't supposed to be wolves in these woods," commented the sheriff.

"Maybe they are the ghostly spirits of the ones that were killed here a few years back," suggested a volunteer.

Ridleigh was known to be bold. "Watch this!" She smiled mischievously to Silverpaw. He merely shook his head and laughed, until he realized what she was about to do.

Ridleigh was never known to be a coward. She wanted the intruders out. She'd figured if they heard her talk it would spook them enough to keep them out. She sat in the middle of the crowd and scratched her ear with her hind paw. The volunteers spotted her and their eyes widened in fear. She hadn't even spoken yet and they were afraid of her. "Or maybe it was just me, giving you a warning."

The sheriff's first instinct was to pull his pistol from his belt and aim it at the black wolf before him. He had second thoughts when Silverpaw growled from behind the bushes where he lay hidden.

"Do you really want to do that? Tsk, tsk, that's not a very good idea." Ridleigh scratched behind her ear again.

"Y-you talk?" The sheriff stared in amazement.

"'Course I talk. I'm not some dumb animal with no thoughts or emotions. You just don't take time to listen to the others. You kill because you can, like the stupid, ignorant monkeys you are. You clear forests, pollute the water and air, and kill animals from habitat loss. We are forced to be pitched against each other to survive instead of working together as a pack. Oftentimes we must kill our own weak ones and consume them just to survive instead of nourishing them until they can care for themselves. Either that or we are hunted for our fur, tusks, hides, teeth, and various other parts for your so-called medicine or fashion. The bodies are left to rot, so our spirits cannot rest. You are all the same; selfish, murderous, low-life creatures interested only in wealth and power and self-preservation." Ridleigh waited, almost conceited, for the reaction to her rant.

Her rant only inspired rage and hatred directed at herself. "Kill it! It's a trick of the devil! It speaks lies!"

Their cries for death only served to prove her point. "You see what I mean? Do I not speak the truth? We animals have no wars. We do not fight and kill simply because we can. Some of us kill because it is how we survive. Some of us were made to consume meat, so it is what we do. We thank Mother Earth for her gift of meat by burying the remains and paying respect to that creature's spirit. That is our law and those that disobey it are duly punished by Mother Earth."

"These woods are cursed!" A shot was fired at Ridleigh, but it missed and embedded itself in a tree.

"Superstitious fool! Ignorant ape! Murderous, careless, insignificant speck, poor excuse for a human! All of you are the same! Now, if you know what's good for you, you'll get out of my woods before I—" one of them shot at her again, but this one hit its mark; straight to her lung.

This was enough to send Silverpaw into a frenzy. He leapt from the bushes, claws and teeth bared. A bullet nicked his left ear, which only served to anger him further.

"Enough! All of you!" Ridleigh stood in her human form. Mostly. Her body was covered in a black wolf pelt. She had nails that tapered to a point like claws. Her teeth were like tiny razors in her mouth, ready to rip out anyone's throat that opposed her. She looked like a wolf goddess.

"Ridleigh?" The sheriff's eyes were wide with wonder. He'd seen her get shot though the lungs. No animal could have survived that. It was in that instant he realized that the girl before him was no longer human.

"I am Ridleigh no longer. I am Crescent Moonpaw. I am the guardian and protector of these woods. Any human I catch in these woods will be killed on sight. I do not tolerate trespassers or hunters." She crossed her furry arms over her chest defiantly and growled.

"What have you done to yourself, poor girl? What deal have you made with the devil to make you so…so… _monstrous_? Come, we must banish this beast within you."

Crescent Moonpaw laughed lightly. "Deal? I made no such deal. And this devil you speak of exists not. Demons, on the other hand, do exist, much like humans exist. You just can't see them, and not all of them are bad either. The devil you speak of, however, is just a superstition you people make up to keep little ones in line or to blame your bad behavior on. 'Oh, the devil made me do it! The devil made me do it!' And there you have it; the perfect scapegoat. The entity that made me as I am is Mother Moon. She has made me stronger in mind, body, and soul. She has prevented me from becoming like you foolish, manipulative creatures."

"What exactly is that supposed to mean?"

"It means I won't become lazy, bloodthirsty, gullible, naïve Neanderthals concerned only with themselves."

"Watch your tongue, young lady! I've heard enough. You will be placed in protective custody until this madness of yours is cured. You speak as if you weren't human, but clearly you are. Now take off that ridiculous costume—"

"Costume? Is that what you tell yourself it is? Is that how you comfort your mind instead of believing the impossible?" She ran at the sheriff, shifting to wolf form in midair. She snapped her jaws just short of the pistol in his hands. "Still think it's a costume?" She growled at him.

"So maybe it's not a costume, but you still must cooperate and leave the woods behind so you can be returned to your father."

"First of all, that miserable excuse of a human being is NOT my father. He just used me for the check he got from the government every month for being a foster home. Secondly, I refuse to leave my woods. Thirdly, even if I did decide to cooperate—which I'm not going to—I took care of the fool."

"What's that supposed to mean, exactly?"

"It means I killed him with my teeth and claws. That bastard tried to rape me. So, when he came traipsing into my woods, I killed him. He's a trespasser, as are all of you. You're lucky I don't kill all of you right now."

"You…killed him?"

"Did I stutter?" Crescent Moonpaw licked her paw to groom her ears.

"And you're okay with this? It doesn't bother your conscience?"

"Does it bother yours that he tried to rape me? Or that if I hadn't killed him you'd place me back in his care and he might try it again? And don't even start me on the mental and physical abuse."

"And you didn't think to report him?"

"I can handle myself. I was never helpless. Besides, there'd be an investigation and who would take my word over his anyway? He had enough money that he could just pay them off to keep silent."

"Kill it already before it kills you!"

"Yeah, that thing isn't Ridleigh! It's a monster, an abomination! Kill it!"

"A monster and abomination, am I? If I _were_ such things, don't you think I'd have slaughtered all of you by now or ordered my animal comrades to help? There are grizzly bears and foxes and all sorts of formidable animals to help me kill you. All I have to do is give the order."

Shots were fired from all angles. Ridleigh was lightning quick and dodged all of them. She quickly disarmed all the shooters without killing them.

This left only the sheriff armed. He loaded his pistol with a tranquilizer, for he did not wish to kill the girl, only cure her of her madness. He only had her best interests in mind. Thoughts raced through his mind. _Had the man deserved to die? Ridleigh, this is for your own good. Should I prosecute her for the murder of her father? How do I explain all of this?_

From the safety of the cave the forest animals watched the scene below them unfold. "Ridleigh has been shot! What do we do?!"

Ursa, the wisest, eldest bear calmed the crowd by saying, "She instructed us to stay put. She is more than capable of handling this matter herself."

"She looks like a human-wolf hybrid goddess!" Quick, the rabbit, had stared in awe.

"And she's disarming the humans one by one. As I said, she can more than handle the situation."

"The one that appears to be the leader is still armed! He's going to shoot her! And her back is turned so she'll never see him!"

The shot had hit its mark and Crescent Moonpaw could not dodge it in time. "She's dead!" wailed Quick.

"No, look, she still moves," stated Grace, a deer.

"She's moving sluggish though. It probably stunned her and will put her to sleep," stated Ursa.

The shot had hit her right flank. She was not lithe enough to dodge it in time. The sudden impact made her whine and yelp in pain. "Father Silverpaw!" Her vision blurred and her limbs became like stone. "It's…not fatal…it's a tranquilizer…I…feel…sleepy. I don't want to leave. Can't…" And with that, Crescent Moonpaw was out cold.

Silverpaw stood over his temporarily fallen daughter like a soldier guarding a prisoner. If anyone came too close, he growled, raised his hackles, and showed his teeth. Nobody dared touch her, except the ever-bold sheriff.

"Come now, shoo. I don't want to hurt you. Move, you mangy creature."

"Over my cold, dead body, human," growled Silverpaw.

"I'm not going to explain to an animal why I need to bring her back to safety. These woods are unsuitable for her to live in."

"So are your nasty, filthy, polluted, overpopulated cities, which are overrun with crime, war, and death. These woods are peaceful, with a do no harm to the animals that live here, humans being the only exception to that rule."

"I won't stand here and argue with an _animal_! She's coming with me, and that's final!"

"Big mistake," said Silverpaw to himself. When the sheriff reached his hands too close, Silverpaw bit—hard. Jaws like steel clamped down on flesh as blood exploded in Silverpaw's mouth that covered his teeth and muzzle. He released his grip and howled.

"That's the all clear howl! We must help them," shouted Ursa. "Deer, stampede. Small rodents, climb into clothing and bite and tickle. Birds, drop seeds, rocks, and whatever you can carry as well as feces. And bears, intimidate, but don't attack. This should provide enough distraction for Silverpaw to get away with Ridleigh."

"I'll have you put down for that you mangy mongrel!" Just then, the cavalry arrived. Chipmunks and field mice crawled up the sheriff's pant legs, biting his legs and stomach while tickling with their tails and tiny paws. Deer stampeded past while bears stood on two feet and grunted. "The animals have gone mad!"

Crescent Moonpaw began to stir. "No, they're simply following orders," corrected Silverpaw. "You shouldn't have let me howl. Now the entire forest will come to our aid."

"Father?" Crescent Moonpaw's eyes opened, her vision still blurry.

"Yes, my pup. You are safe. I'm not about to allow this human to steal you away from me." He glared at the sheriff and growled.

"She thinks you're her father? You must have really brainwashed her."

Fully aware now, Crescent Moonpaw stood at her full height, indignantly.

"You're in trouble now," smiled Silverpaw.

"This is my father. He took me in, no questions asked. He asks for nothing in return. He has taught me far more than any foster parent ever could. He loves me unconditionally. He will never send me back to foster care because he's dissatisfied with me. He'll never abuse me, treat me like a slave, or neglect me. He will protect me with his last dying breath. I am his equal and the other animals treat me with respect as I do them in return. This is my home and I'M NOT LEAVING! So take your crew here and never enter my woods again, at the risk of death." The bears stood at their full height behind Crescent Moonpaw, folding their arms and growling emphasis. "Or, I could just have my bear brothers and sisters escort you out, if that's what you prefer."

"I'll give you one last warning—"

Crescent Moonpaw got in his face in her partial human form. "No, _I'll_ give _you_ one more warning. These are _my_ woods, _my_ rules." The sheriff swallowed nervously. "If you can't get the hint, you'll die. I don't tolerate _humans_ in my woods. The only good human is a dead one."

He seemed to accept the fact that the girl was going nowhere. She reminded him of himself at a younger age—stubborn and foolish with a complete disregard to authority. It made him smile despite the situation. "You heard the girl; clear out! Anyone that does not comply, your blood is not on my hands." He grabbed a handkerchief from his pocket to wrap his wrist with and turned to leave, but not without first saluting Ridleigh.

One of the volunteers was not convinced. She marched up to the sheriff and demanded, "You're going to allow a spoiled half-breed tell you what to do?!"

He met her angry gaze with a calm stare. "Well, yes, seeing as these are no idle threats. Do you see the size of these creatures? We may have weapons, but their natural instinct and speed would allow them to spring at us faster than we can pull a trigger. And blades can easily be torn from even the strongest grip by those jaws alone. Look what that one did to my wrist, and I don't believe it was even full power. Like I said before, if you don't comply, your blood is not on my hands." With that being said, he picked up his pistol, wrapped his bleeding wrist and hand and started to leave. He looked at the rest of the crowd and said, "Anyone that values their life better follow me."

"I'm not afraid of some little girl that thinks she can push us around! I'm not afraid of you _monster_!"

"Fear is not my goal nor my intent. If it was fear I was after, I'd have killed one of you. No, my intent was respect, and I got it from all but you. What is your issue? Jealousy? Envy? Anger? Do you misunderstand what I am and what I stand for?"

The challenger sneered at Crescent Moonpaw. "No, I just don't think monsters like you should live."

"And yet…you condemn innocent men and women to death based on the false witness of the faulty human memory and allow murderers and gangsters to live among you and shed more blood than I ever could? It makes no sense to me."

"You are an abomination! For God's sake, you were shot in a place that should have killed you! You belong in some zoo somewhere or some freak show."

"Let me pose a riddle to you. Can you define normal? Is not 'normal' in a psychiatric ward being psychotic or insane? Or being a criminal in a prison? What exactly is 'normal'? It does not exist."

"How are you so casual? You keep your temper. You said you wouldn't hesitate to kill a human. You said—"

"Yes, I said I wouldn't hesitate to kill a human, but at the moment you pose no threat to me. I'll not have innocent blood shed here." Her logic was sound and could not be argued, which irritated the human.

"You act so logical, so calm, so haughty, so…"

"Infuriating," finished Crescent Moonpaw, as she licked her paws to groom herself.

"Yes, just wait and there'll be an abundance of humans here. They will force you to return to foster care and they'll capture your precious animals and kill them."

This infuriated Crescent Moonpaw. "I've heard enough. I'll not have you threatening and endangering my animals in my woods. But I'll not show you the same courtesy that you would show them because you are no threat to us. My bear brethren, please escort this human out of our woods. Do not harm her in the process." The bears picked her up and escorted her out.

The woman screamed the entire time the bears held her. "Put me down! I'll have your pelts and mount your heads on my wall! Brutes, drop me now!" She pounded on their solid, muscular paws to no avail. Their grip was firm like steel traps and her blows did not even faze them.

They dropped her at the edge of the woods where the rest of the search and rescue volunteers waited. She landed on the ground with an audible thump. The sheriff held back a chuckle. The bears nodded to him, paying their respects to him for obeying their wolf protector's laws, then melted into the woods.

"So, I see how that went," the sheriff teased his young deputy.

She brushed off her pants and scoffed at him, "I do not wish to speak of this again." And thus began the revenge planning and seeking. Nobody makes a fool out of Officer Jane. Nobody! All she heard as she left was laughter and jokes about her.

"You foolish pup! You could have gotten yourself killed! What were you thinking?!"

"I had everything under control, Father." Crescent Moonpaw licked her paws.

"I would hardly call that _under control_! You were critically shot! You're lucky Mother Moon interfered or you'd be dead! Please promise me no more stunts like that _ever_ again." He nuzzled his pup and licked her fur lovingly.

"Fine, no more stunts _like that_." She smiled a mischievous wolf grin. While she would never do something like that, it didn't mean she wouldn't do something else foolish in order to protect her woods and the creatures therein.

"What did Mother Moon say to you?"

"She told me to use my gifts to protect this domain, but if I should willingly leave it I will lose them. However, if forcibly removed I may keep them and use them to return."

"Did she give you any hint of motivation for her actions?"

"No, she didn't. She just gave me the gifts but I do not know why."

"Look, we've located the girl, but she is in serious trouble. She has been possessed by the devil. If you'll grant permission, I'll retrieve her and cure her of this curse she's been given."

The councilmen and women considered their options. If they allowed this woman, police or not, to act alone, she could cause harm to the child without explanation. She could claim she was restraining her, which caused the bodily harm. There would be no proof that she did or did not harm Ridleigh. There was much skepticism due to the wild story about Ridleigh being "possessed". In fact, it was so far-fetched that it was unanimously decided that she be denied her request.

"I'm sorry, Officer Jane, but we cannot allow you to act alone in this case. Your claim of the girl being possessed is simply too far-fetched to believe. Not only that, but should you act alone and harm her, there would be no proof that you had reasonable cause to do so. You may, however, return with a group of volunteers to rescue Miss Ridleigh. Only then will you be granted permission to do so."

"What are you planning to do if more humans decide to 'rescue' you?"

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

"Remember your promise to me that you won't do anything stupid again."

"I promised I wouldn't and I won't." Crescent Moonpaw paused and lifted her snout to the sky, scenting. "Someone is here that doesn't belong."

Silverpaw copied his pup's gesture. "Yes, and it's the same scent from the first time."

Crescent Moonpaw rolled her eyes. This meant trouble, especially if it was the woman she thought it was. "I thought the bears took care of her."

"Someone obviously didn't get the message the first time."

"Obviously."

"Whatever are you going to need that much netting for? Are you trying to catch a bear or something?" The clerk was curious. He knew that Officer Jane didn't hunt, so why would she need a net? It wasn't any of his business, so he just let her alone to buy her supplies.

"I'd go with the or something option," was her simple answer. She paid for her equipment and exited the store without further word.

Once in her squad car she examined the items she'd just purchased. She had the trip wire, the pulley system, and the rope that would pull the netting up once sprung. Everything was in perfect order. This plan could not possibly fail. She'd use the foolish girl's territorialism against her and then take her for herself to be cured of this plague she'd been cursed with.

At the edge of the woods Officer Jane parked the car and gathered her equipment. Now the only problem was to stay downwind of the wolves so she couldn't be scented. Everything was set; now all Jane had to do was wait. The wolves would catch her scent and run to either kill her or try to throw her out again. She counted on the latter option, considering the girl did not move to kill her the first time. This showed that the monster in her had not taken over yet and she still possessed her humanity.

"She probably has some elaborate plan for my 'rescue'. But I'm two steps ahead of her. I'm actually looking for trip wires anywhere. They are not easily visible, but if I catch her scent closely enough I'll have extra caution." She raised her snout to the air, carefully scenting. "Speaking of which, I have her scent now. But clever as she is, she probably wants me to catch her scent on purpose, so be extra vigilant Father."

"You think some pathetic human can snare me? She may think herself intelligent, but I am far wiser and older. My eyes have seen much through my many years on this earth, my ears have heard much, and my nose has smelled as much. She won't ensnare myself or you, at least not without a fight which she cannot, and will not, win."

 _So close! Here comes that girl and her mongrel. Just one more step…_

"Stop, Father. Look right there at your paws." The tiniest, faintest shimmer appeared at his paws. "One more step and you'd have tripped the trap wire."

If his face could have turned red, at that moment it would have. Silverpaw looked embarrassed. "I knew that."

"That's just one of them. There's probably multiple trip wires in case I spotted any of them before they could be tripped."

Silverpaw lifted his muzzle to the sky, scenting. "She is near."

"I should have known better. I should have known you'd see or sense that trip wire. No matter though. I've always a contingency plan." She pulled a cloth from her pocket and wet it with a clear, colorless, but not odorless fluid.

"Careful Father, it's chloroform. That liquid is potent enough to knock even you out with just one nose full."


End file.
